Recipe testing

Now that the holidays are past and we don’t need to stock as many champagnes and digestives, I’m building up my liquor cabinet again, in hopes of expanding my drinks repertoire. One drink I’m eager to master is the Singapore Sling, but most recipes I’ve seen call for both Cherry Heering and Benedictine, which we don’t normally have on hand.

Still haven’t bought the Benedictine, but I did get a bottle of Heering. I have to say, I almost like it just on its own. It has a lot of depth of flavor and character aside from being just sweet cherry. I googled around for recipes that use it, and found this one, for a cherry cobbler.

Cherry Cobbler

1½ oz. gin

2 Tsp. (1 oz.) Cherry Heering

2 Tsp. (1 oz.) Crème de Cassis

2 Tsp. (1 oz.) lemon juice

1½ Tsp. (¾ oz.) sugar syrup

Technique: Combine the liquors, lemon juice and sugar syrup with ice; shake well. Strain over ice and decorate with a lemon slice and cherry.

Man, is it just me, or is that way too sweet? Two ounces of sweet to an ounce and a half of strong! And doesn’t a cobbler require muddled fruit, or am I thinking of a different class of drinks?

When I actually mixed this, I used these proportions:

Cherry Cobbler

1½ oz. gin

½ oz. Cherry Heering

½ oz. Crème de Cassis

1 oz. lemon juice

½ oz. sugar syrup

And even that was too sweet.

My second iteration went pretty far in the other direction:

Cherry Cobbler II

2 oz. gin

¾ oz. lemon juice

¼ oz. Cherry Heering

¼ oz. Crème de Cassis

Too dry. Next up, I’ll probably try this:

Cherry Cobbler III

2 oz. gin

½ oz. lemon

½ oz. Heering

½ oz. Cassis

In trying this stuff out, though, I came across another recipe using Cherry Heering, and this is one that we liked very much, but that story will have to wait for the next Mixology Monday, coming up in a few days.

Hi. Enjoying the site a good deal. I’ve been working with the Heering since getting some during the Xmas season last year. I think I’ve found an interesting cocktail out of it. I smoked it up with whisky and dried it out with a little gin. I think it works. Apropos of my Minnesota destination, I called it a Northwoods Sling:
1.5 oz. whisky
1 oz. Heering
.5 oz. gin
dash bitters
soda
Shake the liquors, strain into 10oz. lowball over ice, add 1-2 dashes of bitters, stir. Add twist of lemon and charge with club soda.

I used Wild Turkey rye, Brokers gin, and Fee’s orange; but it also works well with bourbon and other aromatic bitters. (my livejournal post about it)